Hankering after a new hair colour but not sure where to start? Or maybe you’ve had DIY dye disasters in the past and now you’ve lost your bottle? If so, this is the guide for you! Our expert – senior stylist and Bleach OG Freddie – is here to share top tips for hair colour at home. From picking the right semi-permanent shade, to common colour pitfalls and why dyes don’t always turn out as expected.

I like the buttery biscuit base

Any dye you use is essentially a mix of the colour you’re applying and the colour of your hair. Before applying colour, it’s important to get your base right – that means lifting your hair to a light enough blonde, making sure your bleach is even and using a toner, which deposits ashy colour and helps create a good foundation for adding colour. If you have colour in your hair that’s still fading, make sure it’s fully washed out before switching to something new.

Bleaching removes natural pigments from your hair, so it becomes a blank canvas for adding colour. If you don't lift it light enough, paler dyes won’t show up, while others might come out a different tone to what you expected. When you bleach, your aim should be to get your hair to a light yellow – like the inside of a banana skin. Very dark hair won’t always be able to lift this light in one session, but don’t stress! There are still plenty of blonde and colour options for you. If your bleach is orangey or red, try bright, warm colours like Tangerine Dream, I Saw Red or The Big Pink, which hide a multitude of sins! Or speak to a Bleach stylist who’ll be able to help.

As well as lifting your hair light enough, take time to get a clean, even bleach! Patchy bits can still show through after you colour, so follow our bleaching guides to get it right. After bleaching, apply a toner – it'll help you hold on to warmth (yellow, orange hues) or neutralise it in preparation for your final colour. Sometimes you’ll need to tone all your hair, but sometimes you’ll only need to tone freshly bleached roots, or just your ends: it’s all about making all your hair one even shade! Not sure which toner to use? Speak to a stylist!

Saturation nation

It's important to really go for it when you're painting colour onto your hair. Make sure you apply the same amount of product all over – like icing a cake. Patchiness often happens when one area of hair has been soaked in product but another hasn't, so order enough product to cover your whole head of hair. If you're not sure how much you need, just take our Hair Quiz.

As well as applying enough product, you need distribute it evenly through your hair. Divide your hair into segments before you start putting on colour – if you’re blessed with full, luscious locks then your sections should be a maximum of one inch think. If your hair's fine, they can be a little bigger. Smooshing will help you coat every strand. Massage each section of colour-soaked hair between your palms, adding more product as you go.

Comb hither

Make sure you’ve detangled your hair before applying a toner or colour. It can be tricky to take neat sections if your hair is knotty and colour can’t penetrate tangled bits of hair, which could result in a patch of hair with no colour. Once you've applied all the colour or toner, you can comb through your section but make sure you’re not combing out all the product! You’ll know you’re doing this by looking at your comb – is there a big blob of product stuck to it?

Dream hair colour doesn't end with the dyeing process. In between colouring, keep your shade topped up pigmented shampoos and conditioners, or mix your own bespoke refresher by blending your Super Cool Colour into a conditioner or nourishing mask. If you're ever unsure about colouring at home, just get in touch – we're hair to help!